Support structure



P 1953 5. J. HARAZIM 2,652,307-

SUPPORT STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 20, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 //v VENTOR By S. J HARAZ/M A T TOR/V V Sept. 15, 1953 s. J. H ARAZIM SUPPORT STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 20, 1950 m/ vs/v 7'09 5. J. HA RAZ/M ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 15, 1953 SUPPORT STRUCTURE Stanley J. Harazim,

New York, N. Y., assignor to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 20, 1950, Serial N 0. 201,796

3 Claims. (Cl. 312-255) This invention relates to furniture and more particularly to a series of interconnected desks.

An object of this invention is to effect economies in the construction of desks.

Another object of this invention is to simplify the manufacture and installation of series of desks.

Another object of this invention is to effect savings of space and material in the installation of a series of interconnected desks.

A further object of this invention is to improve the appearance of a series of desks placed adjacent one another.

A feature of this invention is the interassociation of two adjacent desks in such a manner that a single upright is common to both desks.

Another feature of this invention is an upright adapted to perform the functions of plural uprights.

Another feature of this invention is a pluralelement upright in which a supporting element thereof may be associated either with another supporting element or with a finishing element.

A further feature of this invention is a pluralelement upright which gives the appearance of being a unitary structure.

The manner in which the objects are attained and the above and other features of the invention may be more fully understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof when read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a serie of inter-associated desks constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the uprights associated with one desk and with the next adjacent desk, with the two major portions of the upright common to the two desks being separated; and

Fig. 3 shows a top view of one of the inner pedestal assemblies and the associated horizontal support members.

In many commercial uses of working surfaces such as desks, a plurality thereof are to be arranged in side-by-side relation. Adjacent uprights or columns of the several desks are frequently bolted, welded or otherwise rendered integral to provide a stable permanent or semipermanent installation. As a result, a dual upright, pedestal or column exists at the point of junction of the two desks producing an uneconomic, space-consuming assembly lacking in aesthetic quality. The present invention relates to a structure in which a single pedestal assembly is used in common by two adjacent desks. The upright or pedestal assembly is formed of two major elements so interassociated as to provide a highly rigid and stable member giving the appearance of being unitary. Additionally, a face or finishing plate may be substituted for either of the elements of the pedestal assembly to provide a suitably attractive termination at either end of a series of interassociated desks or working surfaces.

Fig. 1 of the drawing shows a plurality of desks of the type utilized in telephone offices as working spaces for toll and local information operators, rate and route operators, charge-quoting operators, etc. The general configuration and ornamental design of desks of the disclosed type is claimed in the design patent 164,297, granted August 21, 1951, to A. C. Gilmore and S. J. Harazim.

In general, a two-desk assembly is shown, with each desk providing dual working surfaces, although it is to be understood that three or more desks may be interassociated in accordance with the principles of the invention. Each of the shown desks I I and l 2 may comprise a working surface l3, a space I4 for reference books such as telephone directories, arm rests I5 and jack mountings I6. The desks may be provided with and separated by vertical transverse bafiles I1 and these may be utilized as an element of supervisor signaling means in the manner shown in Patent 2,609,436, granted September 2, 1952, to W. T. Sermeus. Each of the desks II and I2 is supported by a pair of columns, uprights or pedestal assemblies 20 with the one or ones of those pedestal assemblies intermediate adjacent desks being common to both adjacent desks.

The details of the construction of the pedestal assemblies may be seen in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing. Adjacent pedestal assemblies 20 are interconnected by and position horizontal support members 2| which are in the shape of channels with a U-shaped cross-section in the preferred embodiment of the invention, These support members 2| may serve as cable troughs or may be the basic support elements of the working surfaces of the desks.

Each pedestal assembly is in two major portions which, in the case of an inner pedestal, are substantially identical, such as portions 22 and 23. Each pedestal-assembly portion which must engage a support member 2| is provided with two upstanding extensions 24 so spaced as to define a slot into which the horizontal support members 2! may fit. The pedestal assembly 20 and the horizontal support members are pref erably welded, bolted or otherwise rendered integral.

The two major portions 22 and 23 of any one of the internal pedestal assemblies 28 are so conformed that they may be assembled in offset nesting relation. This conformation is obtainedby forming each vertical edge of each of the portions 22 andiZS with' plural flangesas may best be seen in Fig. 3. Thus, one vertical edge of each of the portions 22 and 23 is pro extending perpendicularly 28 extends from flange 21' vided with a flange 2! therefrom. A flange in spaced parallelism with the body tal portion, and the flange Ed ts or inay'be terini nated with another parallelism with the flange 21. The other vertical edge of each of the portions 22hr '23 is also provided with plural flanges so formed an. to cooperate with the flanges at the opposite verical edge of the other pedestal portion 23 or 22. Thus, the other vertical edge-of cachet the pedestal portions i'a and 23 is provided with a flange extending perpendicularly therefrom, and-With a second 35 depending from flange and extending. in-spaced parallelism with the body of the pedestal portiontii or 23. When the two pedestalportions-22 and 2s are placed in theaforesaid offset nesting relation, the flange so of each of the portions abuts the-flange 28 of the other portion, and thevfiangesi :of each of theportions abuts the body of the other pedestal portion-22 or 23. At each pointof abutment, the-two flange portions may be rendered integral, but: in practice it has been found that the use of. fastening means, such as=bolts.3il -,.at the point of abutment between the flanges 3i and the bodies of-the pedestal portions willprovidea rigid structure. It will be apparentthat by virtue: of the above described arrangement, there is not. only but a single pedestal assembly: common to. two adjacent-support members it, but also the-construction is such as togivethe appearance that a single tubular member'constitutes the pedestal assembly, asi-may best. be. seen. in Fig.1.

Another: advantage which accrues from the use of a dual-elenient pedestal assemblyis that on'e'of the elements may be replaced with a faceior' finish plate 35.1130 provide a suitably attractive termination for the rowoi deslrsr This finish plate 3% is orinaybe identical tothe-pedestel-assembly portions 22 and 23 except that no slot for thehorizon-talsupport member 2 l: is provided. 7

If desired, skirts es may be afiixed'at the base of each of the pedestal'assemblieswand leveling l ay be provided for eachof the pedestalrassernb es.

It will be" seen that" the resultant structure is not onl'y highly aesthetically appealing; :but con-- stitutes aneconoznical, compact; readily-install able and readily interchangeable columnar support having a high degree of rigidity.

Itis to be understood that the above-described arrangements are but illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention? Numerous othecarrangernents be devise'd by those skilled in the art without departing -frorn-the spirit and scope of the inveiitiom What is claimed is:

1. In a support structure; apedestahassembly having a first body portion andra'second body portion :in'spa'c'ed parallel-ismwith said first body portions a first flange, a first depending flange of the pedesfiange 2s extending inspaced' m up;

depending from said fir t flange, a second fiange, and a second dependinflange depending from said second flange on each of said body portions; said first depending flange of each of said body portions abutting said second flange on the other of said body portions and said second depending flange on each of said body portions abutting the other of said body portions-first and second upstanding portions on each of said body members, said upstanding portions being spaced apart to define a slot therebetween, a lrst channel shaped support member affixed to and extending perpendicularly to the upstanding portions on saidfirst body portion and positioned in the zslot therebetween, a second channelshaped supsecond flange on each of said body portions;

said first depending. flange or each of said body portions abutting said second flange on the other of said body por ions and said second depend-' ing on each ofbody portions abutting the; other of said bodyportions; means for attaching. said portions together; first and second upstanding portionsion eachoi said body members, said upstanding portions being spaced apart to define a slot therebetween, a first channelshaped: support member affixed to extending perpendicularly to the upstandingjportions on said. first body portion and positioned in the slottherebetween, a second channehshaped support member affixed to' vand positioned in the slotbetw en the upstanding portions on said second body portion, said second support member extending. perpendicularlylto saidsecond body portion and man opposite direction to. said first support member, a third body. portion lying spaced-par llelisniwith said first and second body portions; two upstanding portions on said third body portion spaced apart to define a slot thereb-etween, said first support. member en gagingsaid last-mentioned upstanding portions and positioned in the slot therebetween, a fourth body portion' lying in' spaced parallelisnrwith saidfirs-t and second bod-y portions,v and two upstanding portions on said fourthbody portion spaced apart todefi-ne a slot-therebetween, saidsecond support member engaging the upstanding portions on said fourthbody portion and positioned in the slotther'eb'etween. r

3. In a support structure, apedestalassemblyhaving a-firs't body portion and a second body portion in spaced parallelism with said first bodyportion, a firstflange depending from one edge of each'ot' saidbody portionsand extend ing perpendicularly thereto, a second flange integral withand extending perpendicularly to said first flange, a first dependingfiangedepending fromi and-extending perpendicularly to said secondvflange, a third flange depending from the other-edgeof each of said body portions and extending perpendicularly thereto-and asecond depending flange depending from and extend ing perpendicularly to said third flange, said first depending flange on each of said body portions abutting said third flange on the other of said body portions, and said second depending flange on each of said body portions abutting the other of said body portions, means for attaching said portions together, first and second upstanding portions on each of said body members, said upstanding portions being spaced apart to define a slot therebetween, afirst channel-shaped support member aifixed to and extending perpendicularly to the upstanding portions on said first body portion and positioned in the slot therebetween, a second channel-shaped support member aflixed to and positioned in the slot between the upstanding portions on said second body portion, said second support member extending perpendicularly to said second body portion and in an opposite direction to said first support member, a third body portion lying in spaced parallelism with said first and second body portions,

6 two upstanding portions on said third body portion spaced apart to define a slot therebetween, said first support member engaging said lastmentioned. upstanding portions and positioned in the slot therebetween, a fourth body portion lying in spaced parallelism with said first and second body portions, and two upstanding portions on said fourth body portion spaced apart to define a slot therebetween, said second support member engaging the upstanding portions on said fourth body portion and poistioned in the slot therebetween.

STANLEY J. HARAZIM.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 868,310 White "Oct. 15, 1907 1,761,037 Gross June 3, 1930 1,990,756 Saaf Feb. 12, 1935 

